New Mexico

New Mexico (Spanish: Nuevo México) is one of the two southwestern states of the USA. Over its relatively long history it has also been occupied by Native American populations, part of the Spanish colony of New Spain, a province of the Republic of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. New Mexico has the highest percentage of people of Hispanic ancestry of any state, some recent immigrants and others descendants of Spanish colonists. The state also has a large Indian population. As a result, the demographics and culture of the state are unique for their strong Spanish, Mexican, and American Indian cultural influences. Both English and Spanish are officially recognized languages{{ref|Note-1}} in the state.

Culture

With a Native American population of 134,000 in 1990, New Mexico still ranks as an important center of American Indian culture. Both the Navajo and Apache share Athabaskan origin. The Apache and some Ute live on federal reservations within the state. With 16 million acres (65,000 km²), mostly in neighboring Arizona, the reservation of the Navajo Nation ranks as the largest in the United States. The prehistorically agricultural Pueblo Indians live in pueblos scattered throughout the state, many older than any European settlement.

Related Topics:
Native American - American Indian - Navajo - Apache - Athabaskan - Ute - Arizona - Pueblo Indians

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More than one-third of New Mexicans claim Hispanic origin, the vast majority of whom descend from the original Spanish colonists in the northern portion of the state. Most of the considerably fewer recent Mexican immigrants reside in the southern part of the state.

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At least one-third of New Mexicans are also fluent in a unique dialect of Spanish. New Mexican Spanish is rife with vocabulary often unknown to other Spanish speakers. Because of the historical isolation of New Mexico from other speakers of the Spanish language, the local dialect preserves some late medieval Castillian vocabulary considered archaic elsewhere, adopts numerous Native American words for local features, and contains much Anglicized vocabulary for American concepts and modern inventions.

Related Topics:
New Mexican Spanish - Castillian

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The tranquil climate and startling panoramas have attracted Americans seeking health and retirement.

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The presence of various indigenous Native American communities, the long-established Spanish and Mexican influence, and the diversity of Anglo-American settlement in the region, ranging from pioneer farmers and ranchers in the territorial period to military families in later decades, make New Mexico a particularly heterogeneous state.

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There are natural history and atomic museums in Albuquerque, which also hosts the famed Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

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A large artistic community thrives in Santa Fe. The capital city has museums of Spanish colonial, international folk, Navajo ceremonial, modern Native American, and other modern art. Another museum honors resident Georgia O'Keeffe. Colonies for artists and writers thrive, and the small city teems with art galleries. Performing arts include the renowned Santa Fe summer opera, and the restored Lensic Theater. Writer D.H. Lawrence resided in Taos. The weekend after Labor Day boasts the burning of Zozobra, a sixty-foot marionette, and Fiesta de Santa Fe.

Related Topics:
Santa Fe - Georgia O'Keeffe - Lensic Theater - D.H. Lawrence - Taos

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Tourism

New Mexico's top tourist attractions:

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• Santa Fe
• Plaza of Santa Fe
• Loretto Chapel
• San Miguel Mission
• St. Francis Cathedral
• Georgia O'Keefe Museum/Gallery
• El Rancho de las Golondrinas (Spanish Colonial living history museum)
• Taos Pueblo, Taos art colony, and Ski Valley
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• White Sands National Monument, the Trinity Site, and Missile Range, Alamogordo
• Albuquerque:
• Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
• Old Town Albuquerque
• Petroglyph National Monument, Albuquerque
• New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
• Rio Grande Zoological Park
• Sandia Peak Tramway
• National Atomic Museum
• Indian Pueblo Culture Center
• Chaco Culture National Historical Park, San Juan Basin
• The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, Chama
• Gila Cliff Dwellings, Silver City
• Roswell (UFO Landing Site) and the International UFO Museum, Roswell
• Billy the Kid Museum, Fort Sumner
• El Malpais National Monumant, Acoma Pueblo & Misson, and Laguna Pueblo & Misson
• Historic Lincoln, Ruidoso, and Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation
• Very Large Array (VLA), Datil

The state also has a number of casinos located on Native American Indian Reservations that attract thousands of visitors each year.

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